For the First Time in Forever
by Aeshna Lacrymosa
Summary: Bree might have been saved if the Cullens tried a different strategy.


The last three months of my second life was an unendurable eternal present. Even with Diego at my side, I feared for the future. Now that Diego was dead like the rest of Riley's coven, I was left with nothing. Suddenly, there was hope.

The kind yellow-eyed vampire Carlisle had left me in the care of blond Jasper, who was now holding me in his arms like a baby. With him, I was calm. Even with the fire of the unbearably sweet-smelling human girl in the tent with us, I was calm. Jasper and his auburn-haired brother watched me with fierce, distrustful eyes. That's okay; I wouldn't trust me, either.

"How do you do it?" I asked the auburn-haired boy. "My insides are burning."

The human girl was as gorgeous as she was fragrant. Her flowing brown locks were shiny. Her perfect skin was clear and white. Her lips were plump and sensuous. Her chocolate brown eyes were wide and expressive. She was clearly as afraid of me as was the auburn-haired boy who protected her.

"It doesn't matter," he said. "Just stay where you are."

"I am holding her, Edward," said Jasper irritably. "You know I won't let her come near Bella."

I asked, "Why do you protect her? She is a human. We feed on her kind."

"We feed on the blood of animals," explained Jasper. "We have practiced it for so long we have developed some degree of restraint from attacking humans. We live like normal people. Edward has fallen in love with Bella, and they will marry soon."

"Aren't you, like, seventeen?" I asked Bella.

"I'm _eighteen_," said Bella shyly.

"They know what they are doing, Bree," said Jasper.

I thought about it. "Riley told us to attack you," I explained. "He told us to kill Bella. But I don't understand. I don't know anything beyond those orders."

"That is why we are holding Bella here," explained Jasper. "We wanted Riley and his army to be led here, where we are ready and none of them can touch her."

"We are risking her life," grumbled Edward.

"We are risking _all our lives_, Edward!" barked Jasper. "Her life isn't the only one that matters here."

The minutes wore on. The terrible slaughter outside subsided. Edward and Bella left the tent. After a brief commotion involving "Jacob" and "Leah," the battlefield was finally silent—except for the crackling of flames. The pungent smell of burning marshmallows filled the air. "We will be alright, Bree," said Jasper. His voice was so strained with worry that I was instantly sure that it wasn't true. "Stay close to me." He held my hand as we left the tent.

My skin prickled when I saw the large bonfire kindled with the mutilated bodies of my fellow newborns. "What's going to happen?" I asked Jasper.

"I don't know," said Jasper.

The rest of the yellow-eyed vampire coven had assembled and stood in pairs. A tall and curvy blonde girl was with a huge young man with black hair. Carlisle was with Esme; they kept me behind them. A short and thin black-haired girl approached Jasper. She gave me a sweet smile. "I'm Alice," she said, shaking my hand.

"I'm Bree," I said.

Alice turned to Edward, who was still eyeing me suspiciously. "She's not going to hurt anyone, Edward," said Alice sternly. Then, Alice became alert and fearful. She gripped my hand. "It's going to be okay, Bree," she said with a little more certainty than Jasper did.

My skin prickled again when the Black Cloaks emerged through the smoke. Jasper squeezed my hand when he sensed my anger. "Easy," he warned. There was a young teenage girl, a boy who was clearly her brother, and two older men.

"Impressive," said the young teenage girl that led the small group, "I've never seen a coven escape an attack of this magnitude intact."

"We were lucky," said Carlisle graciously.

"I doubt that," said the girl.

"It appears we've missed an entertaining fight," said her brother.

"Yes," said the girl. "It's not often we're rendered unnecessary."

"If you had arrived here half an hour ago, you would have fulfilled your purpose," said Edward insolently.

"Pity," said the girl, barely suppressing a look of indignation. Then, her eyes meet mine. "You missed one."

"We offered her asylum in exchange for her surrender," explained Carlisle.

"That wasn't yours to offer," said the girl, smiling with satisfaction. _Oh, no …_ She looked at me again. "Why did you come?" she asked in a loud, commanding voice.

I had barely organized an answer when I was consumed with pain all over—like fire—like blades—my body was pain. I heard myself screaming. "Who created you?"

"You don't need to do that!" cried Esme. "She'll tell you anything you want to know!"

"I know," said the little girl. The pain abruptly stopped. My mind cleared. I was now on the ground.

"I don't know!" I gasped. "Riley wouldn't tell us! He said our thoughts weren't safe!"

"Her name was Victoria. Perhaps you knew her," said Edward slyly.

"Edward!" warned Carlisle. "If the Volturi knew of Victoria, they would have stopped her. Wouldn't you, Jane?"

"Of course," said Jane.

I wanted to attack her. She was lying.

"Wait," said Alice, guiding me back to my feet. She looked to the forest.

Suddenly, a woman with fiery red hair came bursting into the meadow with eyes as wild as her hair. She was about to attack the human when she notices the presence of the Black Cloaks. I could no longer keep quiet. "_She_ was behind all this!" I pointed at the woman. "And they encouraged her!" I pointed at the Black Cloaks.

"Enough of your insolence!" roared Jane. I was enveloped in agony once more. I wanted to die. But first, I wanted the truth. "Take the culprit!" she ordered her men, who took the red-haired woman by the arms.

"I saw you!" I shouted at the Black Cloaks. "I heard you! You should have stopped her a long time ago, but you didn't because she promised she can kill the Yellow Eyes!"

"Is that true, Edward?" Carlisle asked the auburn-haired boy.

Edward smiled smugly. "They can't hide the memory from me," he said. "Jane does well, but Victoria—not so much."

Carlisle turned to Jane again. "My family desires no enmity with the Volturi," he said sadly. "In fact, I personally regard you with honor and respect. As a friend of your leader, I request that we are allowed to keep this one newborn. She is harmless. We can teach her well. As for her creator, I believe a punishment is due."

Finally, the torture ended. "That is true," said Jane stiffly. "Felix, Demetri, be done with her." The two older men gripped the one called Victoria and broke her apart. As they tossed her remains into the pyre, Jane turned to Bella. "Caius will be interested to know you are still human."

"A date is set," said Bella.

"Very well," said Jane. "Let's go home."

I expected an unannounced attack for the next few moments, but we all left in peace.

The coven went their separate ways. I went with Carlisle and Esme to a shiny black Mercedes Guardian. "We are going home, Bree," said Carlisle, smiling at me as he opened the rear passenger door for me.

"We?" I asked, looking at the beautiful interior. I had never ridden on a car so beautiful.

"You are staying with us from now on," said Esme. She put her arms around me. I had never felt a touch like that since I was nine years old. Carlisle sighed happily and embraced us both.

Suddenly, the past three months of my second life was just a dream I was now waking up from. Half an hour ago, they might have killed me; now, they were to take me in. Overwhelmed, I sobbed. "Never in my life …"

My whole life flashed in front of my eyes. I saw my mother leaving the house and never coming back. I saw my father getting drunk every day, smelling of liquor and vomit. I saw the kids at school laughing at my tattered clothes, blissfully unaware of the bruises my clothes hid. I saw Riley … Diego … I remembered being terrified of being slaughtered like the others. But now I was alive. I was loved. I was whole.


End file.
